Showing posts with label Meat Animal. Show all posts
Cattle Inventory Expected to Show Decline in Beef Cows
Posted by Unknown in Beef, Cattle and Livestock, Meat, Meat Animal, USA, USDA on Tuesday, 29 January 2013
USDA
will release on Friday, January 27 the results of its semi-annual
survey of US cattle operations, offering an estimate of the number of
cattle and calves in the US as of January 1, 2012. The table below
presents the inventory survey numbers for the previous three years as
well as analysts estimates ahead of the USDA report.
The
report is expected to show further reductions in the size of the US
cattle herd, with particularly sharp declines in the number of beef cows
and further contraction in the number of heifers held back for beef cow
herd rebuilding. Analysts on average expect the survey to show a 1.6%
decline in the size of the cattle herd. This implies a total inventory
of 91.1 million head, the smallest since at least 1958 when the total
cattle inventory was pegged at 91.176 million head. To be sure, beef
production today is significantly larger than it was back in the 1950s,
thanks to tremendous productivity gains. In 1958, US commercial beef
production was pegged at 12.983 billion pounds, compared to 26.297
billion pounds in 2011. In addition to producing heavier animals, the
feedlot system has allowed producers to significantly accelerate the
time it takes calves to come to market. Consider that in 1958, US cattle
slaughter was 23.555 million head while in 2011, overall slaughter is
estimated at 34.2 million head. The average carcass weight of cattle
that went to slaughter in 1958 was 575 pounds, compared to 773 pounds in
2011. So while the headlines after the inventory report will likely
focus on the fact that cattle numbers are the lowest in some 50 years,
keep in mind that cattle slaughter in 2011 was about 46% bigger than it
was in 1958 and carcass weights were 34% larger than they were then.
Today, we produce more than double the amount of beef from the same size
herd (indeed the beef cow herd is smaller today that it was then).
The
concern going forward is that much of the productivity growth in the
future will be incremental. The low hanging fruit has already been taken
and the industry is now running against biological barriers. It will be
difficult to further increase beef production without increasing the
size of the cattle herd. While there are plenty of signals for expansion
in 2012 and 2013, the January survey will likely show that producers
continued to liquidate the herd in 2011, largely due to escalating feed
costs and limited pastures. The beef cow inventory on January 1, 2012 is
expected to be down 2.5% while the number of heifers held back for beef
cow herd replacement is expected to be down 2.1%. One thing to watch
for in the upcoming report is how the distribution of the US cattle
numbers changed in 2011. Drought stricken states, such as Texas and
Oklahoma, likely saw a sharp decline in their beef cow herd, while other
states probably saw notable gains from a year ago. The expectation is
for producers to increase heifer retention in 2012 as calf prices hit
record highs. In some areas, however, that may be limited by long term
drought conditions and limited feed supplies. The overall expectation is
for smaller beef supplies in 2012 and 2013, the inventory survey should
tell us how big the decline will likely be.
What Dwindling Camel Herds Mean for The World
Posted by Unknown in Africa, Camel, Cattle and Livestock, Herding, Meat Animal, Middle East, Milk, Nutrition on Sunday, 27 January 2013
Stephanie Findlay
Staff Reporter
Our
insatiable appetite for camels is taking its toll. The population of
the humpy beast in the Middle East is rapidly declining, threatening
herds around the world.
The Problem: According
to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the stock of
meat-producing camels in Saudi Arabia, slaughtered yearly for the hajj
pilgrimage, has decreased 39 per cent, from 426,000 in 1997 to 260,000
today.
The
story is the same in Pakistan, where numbers are dropping because of
camel racing, a popular pastime. It’s believed the camel population
dropped 20 per cent between 1994 and 2004 in Asia.
Consider
the camel in Somalia, where it is a source of food (both meat and
milk), trade and transportation. Millions of them — an estimated 50 per
cent of the country’s total population — have died from the famine; yet
another reason for their declining numbers.
Meanwhile,
Australia has for years been culling its camels — a cruel consequence
of globalization. They were introduced to the arid outback in the 18th
century by British settlers but without any natural predators or
diseases, they have become an invasive species. Today, there are an
estimated 1.2 million feral camels living Down Under and the population
is expected to reach 2 million next year.
In
fact, Australia’s parliamentary secretary proposed a plan this summer
that would see accredited marksmen shoot the camels for carbon credits.
Apparently, the animals emit an infernal amount of methane and have been
identified a contributor of climate change.
Australia has also become a supplier of camels, selling them Saudi Arabia for meat.
The Impact: For
some, disappearing camels are a desert version of the canary in the
coal mine. As one Somali herder said to the BBC: “When they start to
die, then what chance have sheep, goats and cattle?” He might have added
humans. To date, some 80,000 Somalis have died from hunger and thirst
because of the famine.
The Hope:
Some parts of Somalia continue to enjoy high camel stocks. After a
livestock ban was lifted, Somali herders supplied some $250 million
worth of animals to Saudi Arabia for the hajj pilgrimage last month.
Provided
Somalis can work around burdensome rules imposed by the Al Qaeda-linked
Shabab militia, an organization that controls large parts of the
country, Saudi Arabia plans to double its imports of livestock from the
country by 2013.
Somalia
could also invest more money into its burgeoning camel dairy industry.
Currently, the country has a competitive advantage — it’s the world’s
largest distributor, supplying 850,000 tons of camel milk a year — and a
bigger market could be developed. (Camel’s milk is reportedly saltier
than that of a cow and much richer in vitamin C and B, iron, and
unsaturated fatty acids.)
Raising Rabbits for Meat
Posted by Unknown in Meat, Meat Animal, Rabbit on Saturday, 26 January 2013
By Crystal Miller
(The Family Homestead)
If you are looking for a simple way to provide meat for your homestead
you might want to consider raising meat rabbits. Rabbit meat is tasty
and very good for you. It is all white meat, has lots of protein, and is
lower in fat than chicken, or beef or pork. Plus it is not, in my mind
at least, as much of a challenge to raise a rabbit as it is cows or
pigs. Rabbits can be raised in your backyard, even in the city!
Rabbits
are very efficient. I have read that they will produce 6lbs. of meat
on the very same feed that a cow will produce 1lb. of meat. The milk of
mother rabbits is very rich and helps the rabbits grow very quickly.
You can have your rabbits ready to butcher in 10 to 12 weeks, dressing
out at 4 to 5 pounds of meat.
Meat
rabbits are a certain breed. They are usually large rabbits that will
be around 10+ pounds when mature. The most common breeds of meat
rabbits are New Zealand (Reds and Whites) and Californian. However
these are not the only breeds.
Feed
for rabbits usually consist of commercial pellets that are made of
alfalfa and grains such as oats, wheat, barley, etc. And a good quality
hay such as timothy or alfalfa. They also need fresh water at all
times. Make sure to learn how much to properly feed your rabbit. If
you over-feed your rabbits they will have problems kindling (giving
birth).
Housing
for rabbits usually consists of cages or hutches that are up off the
ground. The rabbits need protection from wind and rain and possibly
predators. They will need adequate ventilation as well.
For
breeding, the doe needs to be about 5 to 6 months old and a buck 6 to 7
months old. Fertilization takes place 8 to 10 hours after mating.
Gestation is 31 to 32 days. You will want to keep records of when a doe
is bred so you know when they will kindle. A few days before she is due
you will need to supply her with a nest box. She will pull hair out
from herself to fill the nest box up with as her time approaches.
Ten
to 12 weeks after the rabbits are born they will be ready for
butchering. I know that for many this would be the most difficult part.
I would think that the best view would to be to know that these animals
are providing food for your family. These are the realities of life. I
think so many of us have grown up not seeing this reality. I remember
asking one of my children years ago where meat came from and their
answer to me was, “Albertsons” :). Part of wanting to homestead for
many people is more the thought of providing many of life’s needs for
themselves.
I
know in my home the butchering would be something done by my husband.
If your husband or father or uncle or friend is a hunter they may not
mind helping with this part. There are books, websites and articles
galore on how to butcher a rabbit and I will leave the research on this
up to those who are interested in pursing this and save any of you the
details that you would rather not know! :)
The
benefits of raising your own meat are that you know what type of food
has gone into them and you know exactly what you are eating. When you
raise your own meat you have more control over what you put on the table
for your family. Rabbits are an inexpensive way for even the small
farmer to try his hand at providing meat for the dinner table.
Build A High-Profit Beef Business
Posted by Unknown in Beef, Business Plan, Cattle and Livestock, Meat Animal
Lessons learned from high-profit operations
Written by
Harold Harpster
(Farm Progress) Times are pretty good for cow-calf producers – except for those in drought-plagued regions. And, the future looks even brighter for at least the next several years.
So
now's the time to plan for that future by studying successful
components of profitable operations and avoiding those less successful.
Consider a few lessons drawn from a 2011 study by Kevin Dhuyvetter, farm
management economist at Kansas State University.
He
boiled down five years (2006-2010) of production and profitability data
from 88 cow-calf enterprises. He sorted out operations with average
calf selling weights over 700 pounds, since that indicates a
backgrounding operation instead of a true cow-calf operation.
Also
excluded were farms with less than 10 cows, if cattle purchases were
greater than 25% of their herd in any one year and if net sales (sales
less purchases) of breeding stock were greater than 25% in any one year.
Culling done, the remaining farms were ranked from high to low based on
returns over costs.
Herds
were corralled into three groups: high return (29); mid return (30);
and low return (29). Average production and cost data were then
summarized for each.
Cow-calf
returns over variable costs have been positive for 23 of the last 32
years, notes Dhuyvetter. Feedlots would live a record like that!
Keep
in mind that by "accepted cattleman accounting practices", most focus
on variable costs. If “out of pocket” costs are more than covered, the
year's a success.
But
before you buy up neighboring herds, consider this: If you consider
total costs (variable plus expenses such as depreciation, taxes, unpaid
operator labor, and interest on assets), only four of those 32 years
were "in the black".
Sizing them up
First,
let’s look at size and productivity. More profitable operations tend be
somewhat larger, and tend to “specialize” more in the cow-calf
enterprise.
The
percentage of total farm labor allocated to livestock is 46% for the
high-profit group, 39% for the mid-profit and 25% for the low-profit
producers. When more time is spent with crops and less with the cattle,
it shows in the bottom line!
High-profit
producers wean heavier calves, but only 25 pounds heavier than the mid
group and 30 pounds heavier than the low group. Calf sale prices are
surprisingly close among all three producer groups. That was likely
since we're still in a period of low supply and high demand for calves.
Cost control is key
Spreading
costs over more animals is where the separation of profit groups kicks
in. Although the high-profit group had the heaviest calf weaning
weights, they accomplished it with a variable cost of $451 per cow
versus $546 for the mid-profit group and $599 for the low-profit group.
In
other words, the high-profit group produced heavier calves for almost
25% less cost! Per-cow costs were consistently lower for the high-profit
group. Again, comparing the high versus low group:
* Feed costs per cow were 21% lower;
* Interest costs, 44% lower;
* Vet medicine and drugs, 21% lower;
* Marketing and breeding costs, 31% lower;
* Machinery costs, 31% lower;
* Labor costs, 21% lower;
* Other expenses, 34% lower.
Overall,
the average five-year return over variable costs per 100 cows would
have been $11,661 for the high-profit group and a loss of $14,647 in the
low-profit group. It all comes down to smart management and controlling
costs without harming productivity!
The bottom line is . . .
Studying
these results carefully, you'll come away with three take-home
messages. One is that there's tremendous variability in the
profitability of cow-calf operations, regardless of year. Top producers
find a way to be profitable even in bad years, and poor producers find a
way to lose money even in good years!
Secondly,
cost control is absolutely essential. There was a much larger
difference between top and bottom producers in total costs per cow than
in total income per cow.
Finally,
“benchmarking” provides the real value in studies such as this. Compare
your costs and returns to those of these operations. Identifying where
you can make the most cost-effective improvements in your operation puts
you well on the road to success.
For a copy of that dollars-and-cents summary table for cow-calf returns, email Harpster at hharpster@das.psu.edu.
Harpster is a Penn State animal scientist and a beef cow-calf producer.
Boer Influence on the Meat Goat Industry - Fad or Future?
Posted by Unknown in Cattle and Livestock, Goat, Goat Farming, Meat, Meat Animal on Sunday, 9 September 2012
By: "Dr. Rick Machen"
(Goat World) Boer goats are being released from a New Zealand quarantine station. After consuming their airline tickets, some have boarded a jet bound for the United States of America...and the meat goat industry hasn't been the same since! Never before in the history of domestic meat goat production has an event created so much excitement and enthusiasm. People which, heretofore would have never been associated with goats, now consider meat goats a viable enterprise. Longtime goat breeders are excited about this new genetic material and its potential to radically change the meatgoat industry. Who are these new kids on the block, where did they originate and what role(s) can they play in the U.S. meat goat production industry?
The Boer Goat
Boer goats were developed in South Africa and can be classified into five different types: Ordinary, Long-haired, Polled, Indigenous and Improved or Ennobled. The first four types are of little or no interest to American goat breeders. South African breeders organized the Improved Boer Goat registry in July, 1959 and have concentrated on improving this goat which is of great interest to U.S. producers.
Trade sanctions and the fear of such diseases as hoof and mouth, scrapie and heartwater have prohibited importation of goats directly from South Africa. Goats were taken from South Africa to Zimbabwe and subsequently placed in quarantine in New Zealand in the mid-1980's. Many of the goats in the U.S. have come from the New Zealand quarantine. A small group of South African origin has been imported into Texas. A protocol is now in place to bring embryos from South Africa into Canada, place them in reciepient females and then bring the recipient females into the U.S. Relative to the diversity of our domestic goats, the Boer genetic base currently in the U.S. is narrow yet rapidly broadening.
Once confined to South Africa, Boer goats are now also found in Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the Middle East.
Boer goats range in color from solid red to almost completely white. The most preferred and widely recognized color pattern is a white body with dark cherry red neck and head with a blaze face. The ears are long and pendulous. Both sexes are horned. Horn size and mass exhibited by the males are much less than traditionally found on Angora or Spanish goats.
South African breeders have emphasized muscling and structural correctness in their selection programs. As a result, the Boer goat is a thicker, meatier animal than our domestic goats. Frame size is moderate; not as large as many of the dairy breeds (i.e. Nubian, Saanen). Mature bucks can weigh in excess of 300 pounds while the largest does will exceed 200 pounds. Birth weights range from 6-15 pounds and preweaning average daily gain can exceed 0.5 pounds. Does are recognized for excellent udder conformation.
Boer Contributions
It should be mentioned here that all goats (Angora, Spanish, cashmere and the dairy breeds) qualify as meat goats. The Boer goat can contribute several pieces to the development of an improved meatgoat. Possible contributions include: Muscle/Body mass - This may be the single most significant contribution. As previously mentioned, the Boer is moderate in frame size but heavier muscled, wider through the chest, deeper sided and more correct on its feet and legs compared to most domestic goats. An increase in muscling will be reflected in higher dressing percentages, higher lean to bone ratios and a more attractive product in the meat case. Improvements in muscling and carcass conformation could result in additional fabrication and retail marketing strategies for goat meat. Growth rate can also be increased with Boer genetics. Data collected on Boer-sired kids born in early 1994 include preweaning growth rates in excess of 0.5 pound per day and 100 day weaning weights as high as 80 pounds. This potential for rapid growth will be an important consideration in an accelerated kidding program. Milking/Mothering Ability - Does are recognized for their excellent udder conformation. The females have strong mothering instincts and, when provided adequate nutrition, easily produce enough milk to raise twins or triplets. Browsers - Results of South African research indicates that Boers preferred a diet that consisted of 85% browse and 15% grass. Apparently, they will function well as a biological method of brush management. Long breeding season - Estrus activity appears to be much the same as Spanish goats or the dairy breeds; a broader window of opportunity than offered by the Angora female. If an accelerated kidding program (three crops in two years) is desirable, this attribute will certainly prove beneficial. Prolific - Data from South Africa and New Zealand indicates that, provided adequate nutrition, Boer females are capable of weaning 180-200% kid crops. Males and females can be sexually competent at 6 and 8 months of age, respectively. Good temperament - Boer goats appear to be very comfortable with human interaction. This could be due to their management in South Africa but also appears to have a genetic component. Embryo transfer kids born in this country to Angora or Spanish recipient dams are very docile and often seek out human attention. If goat production occurs under more intensive conditions, this temperament will prove advantageous.
Feeding and Management
Little scientific information is available concerning the nutrient requirements or digestive physiology of the Boer goat. However, several observations warrant inclusion in this discussion.
Boer goats like to eat and they are good at it. Unlike most Spanish and Angora goats, Boers seem to be much less "picky" in their eating habits. Halfblood kids also seem to exhibit similar eating behavior. If these habits are real and heritable, the Boer could make a feedlot phase in goat production more feasible. Previous feedlot efforts have been largely unsuccessful because of unsettled dispositions and poor feed consumption. The feedlot phase mentioned here is aimed at growth and weight gain more than fattening. Including a feedlot option in goat production could assist in managing the seasonality of goat marketings.
Judging by their appearance, Boer goats appear to have greater rumen capacity (gut fill) than other domestic goats. The increased spring of rib, greater depth of body and a paunch protruding on both sides of the abdomen point toward greater digestive tract capacity. Under range conditions, greater rumen capacity allows for consumption of larger quantities of poor quality roughages. Greater forage consumption relates to improved performance. South African data comparing Boer goats to sheep indicates they selected a lower quality diet (higher in crude fiber).
Bloat and acidosis have never presented a real problem for goat feeders because domestic goats seem to have effective intake regulation mechanisms. However, cases of acidosis have been observed in Texas Boer goats offered an excessive amount of feed. Higher crude fiber contents (>16%) should be considered when feeding goats in confinement, especially under self-fed conditions. Several feed mills have also elevated the coccidiostat levels in goat feeds to combat a potential coccidiosis problem.
Goat meat is particularly appealing to the diet-health conscious population because of its high lean to fat ratio. Boer goats appear to be "easy keepers"; capacity for subcutaneous and abdominal fat deposition appears to be greater than Spanish or Angora goats. While abdominal fat deposition represents efficient energy storage by the range animal, large quantities of internal fat adversely effect the dressing percentage of slaughter animals. In addition, excessive body condition can be detrimental to the reproductive performance of the doe.
Fad or Future
Fad is defined by Webster as "a custom, amusement, or the like, followed for a time with exaggerated zeal; a craze". Boer goats are the latest craze and the exaggerated zeal associated with them has been reflected by market prices. Numerous individuals have brought in excess of $50,000 at public auctions. The craze and zeal which became apparent with the first New Zealand auction in January of 1993 continue today. The question on the mind of every interested party is, "How long will the craze continue?"
No doubt, price has kept many commercial goat producers out of the market. However, prices have softened significantly and are currently more compatible with commercial meat goat producers' cash flow. As ac\vailability continues to increase, prices for the premier breeding stock should stabilize in the $2000-3000 per head range.
Performance and carcass information on crossbred and percentage Boer goats indicates that, in fact, the Boer does have the genetic predisposition to increase growth rate and feed efficiency. Carcass merit is enhanced in Boer-sired offspring. Similar information on the purebreds will follow when collection of such becomes economically feasible. As value of the purebreds comes more in line with meatgoat prices, the influence of the Boer on the Meat Goat industry will expand rapidly.
Improved carcass characteristics, greater growth potential, improved appetite, enhanced mothering abilities, docility, long breeding seasons, biological brush management - all are pieces of the puzzle entitled Meatgoat Production and Management.
According to the definition, Boer goats are a fad. However, they appear to be a fad with a future.
Florida Goat Production Conference, Gainsville, Jaune 14, 1997
